Top 5 northern Adelaide Walks: Para Wirra

By Juanita.

Mild-weathered SA weekends call for family time outside and dog-friendly walks. Over time we have built up a collection of favourite walks in the northern outer suburbs of Adelaide. Para Wirra Conservation Park definitely earns its place among the top 5 north Adelaide walks.  There are so many standout walks to choose from, making it great for the family and your fur babies! Check out some trail maps HERE.

CHOOSING A WALK

Tracks range from 1km to 11km. If you’re itching to start, you can walk from the Mack Creek carpark about half a kilometre from the Para Wirra park entrance and make your way to the scrubby trails.  Otherwise, get your legs moving from the Devil’s Nose carpark or even the lake. You can even cross over into the Barossa Goldfields to add a little extra distance and experience some history! Wherever you choose, there is always plenty of wildlife to keep those visitors in awe.  

Up to the Nose we go! Northern Adelaide views

The Devil’s Nose hike is the most iconic in the park.  At just over 4km, it’s classified as a hard hike owing to the rocky sections, so watch your foot placement. Though not hilly overall, it does have some incline. The nose at the end of the trail is the best spot in the park to sit and take in the stunning north-west views.

While your hiking boots are on (other trails to walk)

From the Devil’s Nose you can take the trail leading down into the valley and join the 10km South Para Grand Hike, which has been rated as a hard hike.  Once in the valley you can decide whether to detour to the Goldfields or continue on an upward path that will get the heart pumping.  Trust me though, it’s worth the huffing and puffing for that glorious view over the park from the lookout.  Along the path there is a seat to the side that overlooks the valley and Goldfields, so have a gulp of water here and soak up the sun.  Mmmmm.

Once up the top, back into the thick scrub you go! You will eventually wind down to the lake.

The lake and park facilities

This is where we stop for a cuppa and watch the bird life over the water. You can spend a couple of hours here after a hike, with facilities including toilets, BBQs, picnic benches and cheeky magpies. Don’t let them wrangle your food!

Make your way back to the car from here. This walk won’t exhaust you, but you will definitely feel a sense of accomplishment.

So these are my picks of the park, and I definitely think these earn Para Wirra Conservation Park a place in the top 5 northern Adelaide walks. Do you agree? What are your favourite walks in the park?

This is one of our series of Top 5 Northern Adelaide walks.